1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an apparatus facilitating the use of an electronic component in a chassis and, more particularly, to a quick-release mechanism to disengage and remove a computer drive unit from a computer chassis.
2. Description of the Related Art
Drive units, or peripheral devices, such as CD-ROMs, disk drives, modems, and other devices, are electronic, or more specifically computer components that provide a computer with increased functionality. Many of these components can be temporarily interfaced with the CPU and related circuitry of a main computing unit by inserting the device into a slot in a computer chassis. An engaging means is typically provided to secure the position of the device within the chassis. When another computer component is desired, the inserted device is disengaged and removed from the computer chassis and replaced with the new component that performs a different function.
Various designs have been proposed for providing a means for quickly and easily disengaging and removing drive units from a computer. For instance, a device bay retention mechanism is taught by Balzaretti et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,252,765. The mechanism requires a control arm to be slidably coupled to a frame, and first and second locking arms to be coupled to the control arm. A control arm latch is connected to the control arm at a first member and is releasably coupled to a release trigger arm at a second free member. Also, an ejection mechanism is attached to the rear end of the frame. To release and remove a drive unit from a computer bay, a release button is depressed to move the control arm to engage the control arm latch with the release trigger arm. The movement of the control arm causes the first and second locking arms to move outwardly from the support frame to disengage the locking arms from the drive unit. The ejection mechanism, using biased springs, then partially ejects the peripheral device such that it can be grasped and fully removed by a user. Although this mechanism is simple to use, it requires many moving parts and provides a costly solution for removing a drive unit. Further, the mechanism necessitates the use of space above and/or below the peripheral device to mount within a computer frame.
Sands et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,246,576, provide a latch and release mechanism for disengaging an electronics module in a computer chassis drawer. The mechanism comprises an elongate bendable member having an actuator at a first member, an engagement structure at a second free member, and a locking tab located between the first and second free member. The engagement structure is affixed to a retainer tab in the electronics module. The locking tab is configured to be mateably received in a slot in the electronics module. A number of slots are also provided in the computer chassis to couple the electronics module with the chassis when the locking tab is inserted into the slots. A force applied to the actuator will cause the mechanism to bend to raise the locking tab at least partially out of the locking tab slot and completely out of the slot in the chassis. At this point, the electronics module is not constrained within the chassis and may be slid out. Although this mechanism provides a fairly simple design, it does not provide a mechanism that can be used to simultaneously release the drawer from the locking tab slot and pull the drawer out of the computer chassis. The user must apply a pressing force to bend the mechanism and another pulling force to move the drawer to a different position.
Further, Hardt, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,518, teaches the use of a pair of quick release drive unit rail members, each comprising a generally L-shaped rail member and arm attached to a drive unit. The rail member and arm are located on each of the two sides of the drive unit. The arm has a detent movable relative to a slot in the frame of a computer unit and extends beyond the front face of the drive unit. The arm of each rail member moves between an outwardly extended position to maintain the drive unit in the frame and an inwardly disengaged position for removing the drive unit from the frame. To release the drive unit from the frame, the portion of the arms extending beyond the drive unit front face are pressed together to flex the arms and move the detents from the slots in the computer frame. At the same time, another hand is used to pull the drive unit from the frame. As with the Sands patent, this mechanism does not provide a device that can be used to simultaneously release the unit and pull the unit out of the frame. Further, the use of a rail member and slot on each side of drive unit is space-consuming.
Thus, what is needed is an apparatus to facilitate the engaging, disengaging and removal of a drive unit from a computer chassis. The apparatus should function as a typical drive unit sliding rail to cooperatively guide the drive unit into and out of a computer chassis while using a minimal space in the chassis. Further, the apparatus should necessitate only a single pulling force input to both disengage and remove the drive unit.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a quick release apparatus for securely positioning and easily removing a drive unit from a computer chassis. It is a further object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus with a lever to provide sufficient leverage to move an engaging structure from an engaged to a disengaged position. It is a further object of the present invention to arrange the lever and resilient arm in such a configuration as to require only a single, continuous force to be applied to disengage the engaging structure from the chassis and to remove the drive unit from the chassis. It is still a further object of the present invention to provide the apparatus on only one side of a drive unit such that the drive unit can be removed when only one side of the unit is accessible and further uses minimum space for a quick-release apparatus.
The present invention meets these objects by providing an apparatus for releasably engaging a drive unit in a chassis and comprises a guide rail mounted to the drive unit, the guide rail having a first member, a resilient arm extending longitudinally from the first member, an engaging structure positioned to maintain the drive unit in the chassis, and a lever connected to the resilient arm to facilitate disengaging the engagement structure and removing the drive unit from a bay of the chassis. The guide rail is mounted to the drive unit at the first member. The engaging structure is positioned on the arm between the first member and resilient arm and is configured to releasably engage a slot in the computer chassis. To facilitate moving the engaging structure out of the computer chassis slot, the lever is positioned generally perpendicular to the resilient arm. In this configuration, an outward pulling force applied to the lever forces the resilient arm to flex inwardly towards the drive unit and the engaging structure to deflect away from the computer chassis. When a sufficient force is applied, the engaging structure clears the slot and continued application of the force to the lever slidably removes the drive unit from a bay of the computer chassis. The present invention thus provides a simple method for quickly releasing and removing a drive unit or peripheral device from a computer chassis. The release mechanism is incorporated on one side of the unit and thus saves space compared to dual rail release mechanisms. Further, the apparatus only requires a single, continuous force to be applied to disengage the engaging structure and at least partially remove the drive unit from the chassis.
Other advantages and components of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which constitute a part of this specification and wherein are set forth exemplary embodiments of the present invention to illustrate various objects and features thereof.